The Chicago Olympics: Another view

AT Political Correspondent Rich Baehr has an excellent article today on why he supports President Obama's efforts to bring the 2016 Olympic games to Chicago.

However, I disagree with my distinguished colleague and associate myself with this devastating piece in the New York Post by Michelle Malkin:

Bringing the games to the Windy City is Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley's "vision." The entrenched Democratic powerbroker -- in office since 1989 -- would like to cap off his tenure with a glorious $4 billion bread-and-circuses production. The influential Daley machine backed Barack Obama in the presidential primaries. Obama lavished praise on Daley's stewardship of the city. Longtime Daley cronies helped pave Obama's path to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Now, they're returning the favor for their hometown boss.

Senior White House adviser Valerie Jarrett, a Daley loyalist, served as vice chair of Chicago's 2016 Summer Olympics bid committee before moving to the White House, where she has helmed a new "White House Office on Olympic, Paralympic and Youth Sport" with an undisclosed budget and staff.

It's not just Chicago taxpayers who should be worried about this field of schemes. Crain's Chicago Business reports that Jarrett and Chicago 2016 committee member Lori Healey met this month with federal officials at the Department of Housing and Urban Development "to discuss financing options" for the estimated $1 billion Olympic Village.

The door is open, and the administration is "willing to meet and listen" to any federal subsidy proposals, Jarrett said. Hey, what happened to Obama's tough rules on interest-conflicted lobbying by his administration officials?

Malkin goes on to detail just who is pushing the idea for the Chicago Olympics - Obama cronies who stand to make a fortune from all the venues and infrastructure that would be built - and explains why Obama is jetting off to Copenhagen tomorrow to try and sell the International Olympic Committee on Chicago.

I think Rich makes a reasonable case for his side but the thought of all that money that will disappear into the pockets of Daley cronies and other friends of the machine makes me ill.

Let Rio have the games. Great party town.

Hat Tip: Ed Lasky

AT Political Correspondent Rich Baehr has an excellent article today on why he supports President Obama's efforts to bring the 2016 Olympic games to Chicago.

However, I disagree with my distinguished colleague and associate myself with this devastating piece in the New York Post by Michelle Malkin:

Bringing the games to the Windy City is Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley's "vision." The entrenched Democratic powerbroker -- in office since 1989 -- would like to cap off his tenure with a glorious $4 billion bread-and-circuses production. The influential Daley machine backed Barack Obama in the presidential primaries. Obama lavished praise on Daley's stewardship of the city. Longtime Daley cronies helped pave Obama's path to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Now, they're returning the favor for their hometown boss.

Senior White House adviser Valerie Jarrett, a Daley loyalist, served as vice chair of Chicago's 2016 Summer Olympics bid committee before moving to the White House, where she has helmed a new "White House Office on Olympic, Paralympic and Youth Sport" with an undisclosed budget and staff.

It's not just Chicago taxpayers who should be worried about this field of schemes. Crain's Chicago Business reports that Jarrett and Chicago 2016 committee member Lori Healey met this month with federal officials at the Department of Housing and Urban Development "to discuss financing options" for the estimated $1 billion Olympic Village.

The door is open, and the administration is "willing to meet and listen" to any federal subsidy proposals, Jarrett said. Hey, what happened to Obama's tough rules on interest-conflicted lobbying by his administration officials?

Malkin goes on to detail just who is pushing the idea for the Chicago Olympics - Obama cronies who stand to make a fortune from all the venues and infrastructure that would be built - and explains why Obama is jetting off to Copenhagen tomorrow to try and sell the International Olympic Committee on Chicago.

I think Rich makes a reasonable case for his side but the thought of all that money that will disappear into the pockets of Daley cronies and other friends of the machine makes me ill.